According to the Consumer Financial Bureau, who ordered the bank to cough up $200
million in restitution to more than 3.5 million
cardmembers, the bank allegedly sold payment protection, credit
tracking and identity theft services without its customers'
consent.

Telemarketers allegedly followed shady scripts in which they
breezed through terms of agreements and kept mum on product
prices. The CFPB said some consumers weren't even aware they were
enrolled in these add-ons until they spotted a funny charge on
their monthly bill.

To avoid a similar headache and safeguard your wallet, follow
these tips from Bethy Hardeman, writer and spokesperson for
CreditKarma:

1. Confirm that there is no monthly charge for
the product, today or in the future.

2. Ask the agent for his or her name. Record
this information along with the date and time of the phone call.

3. Get the program details in writing (via email
or postal mail).

If you still aren't sold on the product, then hang up the
phone.

"Reiterate that you are only looking for information, and
that you would like to either be sent information in the mail, or
be directed to a webpage where you can read up on the services
available to you," says Odysseas Papadimitriou, credit expert and
founder of Evolution Finance.